England’s pace mainstay Stuart Broad has been out of Test cricket since August 2021. He has been nursing a torn calf muscle. The 35-year-old will be set to make his comeback for the national side against Australia in Ashes 2021/22.

Broad, contrary to popular opinion, believes that express pace is not what the English need to succeed in Australia. He said that what the bowlers must project is relentlessness. 

Last month the English Cricket Board gave conditional approval for Ashes tour as the visiting players objected the strict COVID-19 rules in Australia that prevent their families to accompany them for Ashes. The two sides will play the first Test at the Gabba, the Aussie fort that was breached by India early this year. 

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“Our sole focus has to be on Brisbane. The Gabba holds the key to the series, if we’re 100% on the money in the first Test we can put this Australian team under pressure, on the field. And off it,” Broad said, as per the Guardian reports. 

He added that he has not bowled at a batsman and will not until the team get to Australia “because I can’t control my competitive instincts, so if I get whacked through the covers and I try a bit hard I might put myself in sort of danger”.

However, Broad did assert that he is feeling fit, mentally fresh and ready to hit the ground running.

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While England have played the most number of Tests since the COVID-19 pandemic began last year, Australia last played a five-day game in January. 

“It will be a fascinating series, because it will be so unpredictable. There’s going to be a lot of players that are going to be searching for a bit of match readiness, the Aussies haven’t played for a great deal of time.”

The pacer further spoke about the research he has been doing in order to succeed in the Kangaroo land. 

“I’ve been doing quite a bit of research, I’ve had him send every wicket taken by right-arm bowlers over the wicket to right-handers and every wicket taken by right-arm bowlers around the wicket to left-handers in Australia in the last six years,” he said.

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“In England we talk about needing express pace in Australia, but that’s not what I’m seeing from the research I’m doing. What we need is relentlessness with the ball.”

 “If you look at our bowling armoury there is no way we’re going to blast everyone out, because realistically we’ve only got Mark Wood that bowls over 90mph. So we have to use what’s in our armoury, and that is relentlessness, guys who move the ball consistently.”